Central Penn College is a for-profit college in Summerdale, Pennsylvania. Established in 1881, Central Penn College was originally known as Central Pennsylvania Business School. The school changed its name in 1999 to Central Pennsylvania College and then to Central Penn College in 2010. Central Penn offers two-year associate degree, three- and four-year bachelor's degree programs, and a Masters program in Professional Studies.
The school's Charles "T." Jones Library features a learning resource center open to the public. The college is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
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History
Central Penn College was founded in 1881 under the name "Pennsylvania Business College". Its original location was on Market Street in Harrisburg. In 1970 the new president Bart Milano moved the Central Pennsylvania Business School, as it was known at that time, across the river to Summerdale where it continues to operate today.
The transition from business school to college began in 1977 when the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools accredited Central Penn. In 1999, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recognized Central Penn as a two-year college with degree-granting privileges. In December 2000, Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education approved Central Penn College to operate as a four-year degree-granting college. 2013 brought approval for Central Penn to offer the Master of Professional Studies. In 2015 Central Penn added three health science degree programs: Bachelor of Science in Health Science, Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management and Bachelor of Science in Radiology Sciences.
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Campus
The landscape of the campus has changed over the years. In 2002 the Advanced Technology Education Center opened. The new building doubled the number of academic classrooms on the Summerdale campus. That same year 1869-vintage Henszey's Bridge, a 93-foot (28 m) wrought-iron bowstring arch/truss type, was refurbished and relocated to Central Penn from its previous home in Wanamakers, Pennsylvania. In 2004 the college's first satellite location opened on Old Philadelphia Pike in Lancaster. Responding to feedback from students for more recreational facilities, the college in 2014 opened The Underground, which contains a student union space, dance studio, fitness center, writing center and the Capital BlueCross Theatre. Fall 2015 saw the opening of the Donald B. and Dorothy L. Stabler Health Sciences Building, a state-of-the-industry facility designed to give students in the Department of Health Sciences a real-world, hands-on experience.
Henszey's Bridge
This single-span, wrought-iron bowstring truss was based on the 1869 patent of Joseph Henszey. First designed to carry Main Street over Trout Creek in Slatington, Pennsylvania, the bridge was moved in 1900 to Wanamakers to span Ontelaunee Creek. On January 22, 2002, the historic bridge was lifted from its home of some 100 years and moved to Greiner Industries in Mount Joy for restoration. On May 6, 2002, the refurbished bridge traveled across three counties to the campus of Central Penn College in Summerdale, and today Henszey's Bridge serves as a pedestrian walkway for students, faculty, staff and visitors on that main campus.
The Boyer House
The Boyer House is named for the family who occupied it for nearly two centuries. Ownership of the home can be traced in a direct line through seven generations of Boyers. The Boyers were farmers, and farming continued as a family occupation until Rob Boyer, who had occupied the house when the college purchased it, died in 1999. The college bought the Boyer House from Catherine Boyer on March 19, 1999, and then-president Todd Milano promised her he would restore the stone house and dedicate it to her family. Today the historic stone structure houses the offices of the college president and president emeritus. The Historical Society of East Pennsboro Township also maintains two rooms there showcasing township and train memorabilia, as well as offering tours of the house.
Academics
Central Penn College offers over 30 majors. In 2004, Central Penn College began offering online as well as blended courses. That same year, it opened its first additional location: Central Penn Lancaster. Central Penn Lancaster serves adult students enrolled in associate and bachelor's degree completion programs. In 2005, Central Penn was granted permission from the Middle States Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to begin offering two fully online bachelor's degree programs. Today, Central Penn's online offerings include 13 fully online degree programs and three hybrid degree programs-provided through a blend of in-person and online instruction. In June 2013, the college was granted approval to begin offering the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree program.
Locations
Central Penn Summerdale / Harrisburg
The main campus of Central Penn College is located in Summerdale, Pennsylvania. The campus comprises four academic buildings, the Charles "T" Jones Leadership Library, thirty-four student townhouses, six apartment buildings, a new Health Sciences Building, the Underground Student Union, and the Boyer House. The main campus is home to large yearly events including the college's annual Fall Harvest (homecoming) event, as well as Festival of Nations and SummerFest.
Central Penn Lancaster
In 2004, Central Penn College opened its first additional location - Central Penn Lancaster. Located just off Route 30 near the heart of downtown Lancaster, Central Penn Lancaster serves adult students enrolled in bachelor's degree completion programs in a variety of majors.
Central Penn Lehigh Valley
In May 2009, Central Penn College opened an additional location in the Lehigh Valley which offered bachelor's degree completion programs to adult students. Central Penn Lehigh Valley was located in the Lehigh Valley Corporate Center in Bethlehem.
In 2014, the Central Penn Lehigh Valley location was closed.
Athletics
The Central Penn College Knights are in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Division 2. The USCAA is a national organization that exists to provide quality athletic competition on a regional and national level for smaller institutions of higher learning and their student athletes. The association conducts national championships, names All-Americans and scholar athletes.
Central Penn College currently fields teams in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, and men's baseball.
References
External links
- Official website
- Official athletics webpage
Source of article : Wikipedia